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Maple Syrup Extract Boosts Effectiveness of Antibiotics in Lab Tests

Overuse of antibiotics and the resulting emergence of drug resistant bacteria have become a global public-health issue. Now, researchers have discovered that maple syrup extract makes disease-causing bacteria more susceptible to antibiotics.

Phenolic-rich Maple Syrup Extract

Researchers, led by Prof. Nathalie Tufenkji at McGill University’s Department of Chemical Engineering, uncovered that phenolic compounds found in maple syrup are effective in combating bacteria. The team created an extract made mostly of phenolic compounds found in maple syrup. It then tested the extract on infection-causing strains of certain bacteria, including E. coli, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The results showed that, when combined with antibiotics, the extract effectively combats bacteria. Moreover, it destroys biofilms, resistant communities of bacteria that can grow on many different surfaces. Even on its own, the phenolic-rich maple syrup extract is mildly capable of fighting bacteria.

“What we found is that when we added the antibiotics with maple syrup-extracted phenolic compounds, we actually needed a lot less antibiotic to kill the bacteria. We could reduce the dose of antibiotic by up to 90 per cent,” stated Prof. Nathalie Tufenkji (source)

Additionally, the scientists found that the maple syrup extract significantly repressed multiple drug resistance genes as well as genes associated with motility, adhesion and severity.

“…the findings suggest a potentially simple and effective approach for reducing antibiotic usage. I could see maple syrup extract being incorporated eventually, for example, into the capsules of antibiotics.” ~ Prof. Nathalie Tufenkji, McGill University (source)

In conclusion, this research shows that maple syrup may help address the problem of antibiotic overuse. Furthermore, when antibiotics are needed, it may help them work better. Tufenkji and her associates plan to continue their research. Next, they will test the effectiveness of maple syrup extract on infected mice. Finally, they would need to complete clinical trials on humans.